Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1887-07-08
AGRICULTURAL.
Devoted to the Interests of Farmers
and Stockmen.
The Cactus.

Those who have not seen 1t on Its
native soil cannot imagine what a
"cactus grove" looks like. 1t requires
a warm or equable climate, and seems
To draw its substance more readily
from the driest sandy wastes where
nothing else will grow. To one who
has not lived in cactus country the
plant suggests only danger. is long
keen thorns possess poisonous prop
erty when makes them very disagree
able things, and it has been said by
some writer's that the thorns of cac
fms multiply when imbeded in the
flesh Of anything living. This state
ment is not trde. But there is no
wound more painful than that made
by cactus thorn. o. the high sage
brush covered hills Of Southern Cali
foruia the cactus grows luxurantly,
and there its properties are known.
1t is not "a useless plant by any means,
but it does not invite close study by
the stranger Many hillsides are COW
cred with cactus groves. The plants
often reach a height of from ten to
fifteen feet, and are so closely jammed
together that they make a solid wall
of thorns that will successfully resist
the assaults of man. The blossoms of
the cactus are generally rich yellow
but are often red and purple. They
are pretty flowers, and grow from the
apex of the fruit, often called "prickly
pears" This fruit is about the size of
a large egg, shaped like a fig, and is
covered with many little punches Of
minute thorns, which, if Gaken into
the mouth, Immediately sticks into
the tongue, throat and palate, and
often resist all efforts to dislodge them
without medical assistance. When
ripe the fruit is of deep purple color,
and the fine fuzzy thorns become
loose and may be rubb d off. The
inside of a prickly pear is not unlike
that of fig. 1t is a mass of minute
seeds set in clear, red jelly and has
a very sweet taste. 1t is also exceed
inglv juicy. 1t is THIS juicIness which
makes the prickly pear SO valuable to
man. Growing, as it does, in dry, arid
wastes, where there is no water to be
OBJ aimed, it furnishes very pleasant
beverage for the traveller.
The method of preparing the fruit
for eating is purely native, and, as the
"greasers" are the only ones who make
use of the fruit to any extent, the
modos operandi is here given. A sharply
20 MT d stick is thrust into the fruit
AMI it is then clipped off with knife.
1t is then rubbed into the sand until
the little thorns are removed, when it
may be peeled, split open and eaten or
the juice pressed out and caught in a
vessel A very strong intoxicant can
be made with this juice, but in the
Gland OF grapes" it is not needed.
Many travellers have b. en- puzzled to
account for the existence OF large
1ocks of quails and other birds, always
including the road runner, which live
and thrive in the midst of sandy
deserts where there is not a drop OF
water or anything green besides the
citrus plants. But the explanation is
there is juice in the cactus fruit and
they pick holes in the thick rind and
devour the jelly-like substance.
The fruit is not the only part of the
cactus which is of use to man. The
thick, pulpy leaves contain a glue-like
substance which is used in whitewash
The leaves are chopped fine, placed in
tub and covered with water. After
standing a certain time the water
becomes mucilaginous. 1t is then
drawn off and used in making the
whitewash, which is made greatly
better by it. Whitewash made witt
this water will dry quickly, harder
and possess a glossy smoothness, anC
does not crack up and fall off in flakes
The thorns were once used by the ma
tives as needles, and the fiber of tn,
plant for thread, and the butcher birC
uses it as skewer upon which to i'm
pale his victims. The cottentail rab
bit finds safe refuge beneath it
canopy, and the "manroo" or "snake
vine" seems to grow more plentiful,
near it.
The ugly, dangerous cactus, with it
pale, sickly green leaves and unlovel.
shape, is very useful plant.
A Talk to Farm Boys.
Farmer boys, you need not envy tn